Magic Carpet Ride
by darrensbabypenguin
Summary: CrissColfer!AU – Chris Colfer, writer and student at UCLA, embarks on a family vacation to the magical Walt Disney World. He has a feeling that the trip will be amazing, but he could have never imagined the adventures he encounters after meeting a certain street rat.
1. Monday, July 10th

**I am super excited to start this story! I love CrissColfer and Disney World, so if either of those things tickle your fancy give it a try. I'm going to try to upload often but this is a WIP. I don't have a beta either so excuse any mistakes please. Oh! This will eventually be M. hehe Enjoy!**

**_Monday, July 10th_**

"Chris, honey, we have to go! You were supposed to pack last night!" Karyn Colfer shouts from the bottom of the staircase in her comfortable California home. "Planes don't wait for their passengers, sweetheart!"

The harsh _thump thump thump_ of a wheeled suitcase follows Karyn's firm words, and a boy suddenly appears at the top of the carpeted stairs. He is pulling his luggage clumsily down the steps while simultaneously trying to coax his matted brown hair into something socially acceptable. Without warning, he misses the last stair and pitches forward, landing on his ass with a loud _thud _on the hardwood.

"Shit," he grumbles, rubbing his bruised behind unconsciously.

Karyn chuckles despite her motherly instincts telling her to scold the boy for his foul language. "Oh, Christopher…did you sleep at all last night?" Chris takes her proffered hand and allows her to pull him to his feet.

"Define sleep," he murmurs distractedly. Worried that he ripped his favorite black skinny jeans, Chris twists around to try to get a better look and ends up spinning in a circle.

"Dad," the voice of a young girl says from the kitchen doorway, "why is Chris trying to chase his tail again?"

Tim Colfer walks through the kitchen and places an arm around the smiling girl while moving towards his son and wife. "I don't know Hannah," he admits. "Christopher?"

Chris goes along with it, pouting, and says, "I think it fell off."

"You can borrow Eeyore's!" Hannah shouts happily. She's very proud of her solution and the thankful smile that Chris sends her way makes her glow.

"Good plan sissy, I hope he hasn't lost it by the time we get to Florida."

"Well we won't get there until tomorrow if you don't _hurry up Chris_; so go do your hair and meet us in the car," Karyn teases, and all of the Colfers minus Chris head out the oak front door with bags in tow.

Once he's alone, Chris sighs and shuffles off to the guest bathroom. He flips on the light, and is honestly startled by his own haggard appearance. _Damn, _he thinks, _who ever thought writing a book would be so hard on your normal sleeping patterns? _Turning on the cool tap water, Chris cups his hands under the faucet and splashes his face twice to wake up his sleeping skin. He saves some of the water and uses it to tame his hair into a slightly elevated swoop across the right side of his head.

Although he doesn't always see it (and you just want to shake him when he doesn't), Chris Colfer is an incredibly attractive 20 year old. With blazing blue, gray and green eyes, soft brown hair, and defined facial features, Chris is a very eligible young bachelor. Of course, he barely has enough time to maintain homeostasis let alone date. Chris is out and proud, and at UCLA the only issue with homophobia he has encountered was with the College Students for Romney PAC, but the opportunity for a relationship just hasn't presented itself yet.

A sex life isn't the only thing that Chris has been lacking lately. Sleep somehow manages to evade him almost every night. As a creative writing and English double major, Chris misses sleep dearly, but hey, it isn't his fault his best ideas spark at night. He relishes in the ability to throw himself into his work and produce something great through the simple power of words. That in it of itself is worth the sacrifice of a few hours of sleep.

At the end of the second semester of his sophomore year at UCLA, Chris' creative writing professor had called him in for a brief meeting. Chris will never forget the feeling of his professor telling him that his short story about two adventurous twins was publishing material. The professor made Chris promise to keep writing that summer so that he'd have enough to show the publisher during the next fall semester. Chris swore to work hard eagerly, and had begun to write that night.

So he was both elated and a bit nervous about losing precious writing time when Chris' mom texted him an enthusiastic, "WE R GOING ON VACATION! :D" while he was on the train home to Clovis. Though excitement started to outweigh his slight trepidation when he found out their destination was Disney World. He absolutely did not squeal in the middle of his train car at that. And the old lady across from him did not glower at him and quickly put in headphones, no not at all.

A honk from outside jerks Chris from his – _Did I just fall asleep? _– dazed state in front of the mirror. He shoots himself a quick smile and is out of the house in a flash, shutting the door behind him.

Once settled in the backseat with his little sister, Chris can feel the excited bubbles beginning to churn in his stomach. He smiles genuinely from ear to ear, and sends up a silent prayer to whoever is listening to make sure that the trip is just as fun and safe for his family as he hopes it will be.

The plane ride is pretty uneventful, although very long. Chris hoped to get a lot of writing done, but he ended up watching Disney movies with Hannah on his iPad the whole time. He isn't upset though, who would complain about watching Aladdin three times (it's Hannah's favorite) with their adorable younger sister?

Once they land, the Colfers walk to the Enterprise counter and rent a car for their ten day Florida adventure. It's well past midnight, and Hannah is practically asleep in her father's arms. They load their luggage into the Ford Escape and pile in, and within seconds Hannah is asleep across the spacious backseat.

Chris uses the hour long car ride from Orlando International to their destination, the Lighthouse Key resort, to text his best friend Ashley and let her know they arrived safely. Few words are shared between Chris and parents because Tim and Karyn are busy whispering to each other about plans, times and locations. Karyn has her _Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World _book open across her lap, and it makes Chris smile to see her so excited.

Before he even gets a reply from Ashley – _Come on, it's like 8:00pm in Cali you loser. _- the Colfers arrive at Lighthouse Key. Chris is impressed by the decor and overall atmosphere of the classy beach-like condo complex. He can also smell chlorine, and secretly hopes that there is a hot tub around here somewhere.

Tim, Karyn and Chris half carry, half drag the luggage from the car and into the building labeled with a large letter C. They follow the instructions that came with the key card up an elevator and to the fourth floor. At the end of the hallway, they find a room numbered 4238, and they know they've finally made it.

Tim inserts the key and opens the door. "Welcome home everybody!" He stage whispers dramatically. Karyn and Hannah squeal as they enter the luxurious town home, leaving all of the bags forgotten.

"No worries, I got it," Chris mutters to himself, smiling and shaking his head despite the slight annoyance. It takes him a minute to get all of the bags into the doorway, but it's totally worth it once he does. The air conditioned space is beautiful and cleaned to perfection. Suddenly, it hits Chris that they are a_ctually _here, in Florida, on an amazing Disney vacation. Getting to the hotel always has that "finalization" effect on travelers.

After exploring the town home and finding a master bed and bath, a small room and bath, half bath, full kitchen, and huge living room, Chris nominates himself to sleep on the couch. Hannah hugs him gratefully and shuffles off to bed sleepily with a grumbled, "Goodnight, we better see Aladdin tomorrow, love you."

"You good, kid?" Tim asks once he hears Hannah's door shut.

Chris nods as enthusiastically as he can without any energy. The lack of sleep and jet lag is really starting to hit him hard. "Yeah, Dad, thank you so much for all of this. I'm just really tired."

Tim clasps him on the shoulder with a "sleep well," and Karyn kisses his cheek goodnight. The couple heads to the master bedroom and shuts the door. Chris is left in silence.

Too wiped to actually dress himself for sleep, Chris strips down to his undershirt and boxers, pulls out the couch bed, and settles himself in the warm sheets. He sighs happily, completely at ease and as excited as a five year old.

_Tomorrow is going to be magical, I can feel it. After all, if magic exists anywhere, it's definitely in Disney World. _


	2. Tuesday, July 11th (Part 1)

**Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this little piece of my imagination. As you can tell, it's very AU. I understand that some people aren't into RPF either, so don't read if that's not your thing. Cool? Cool. :) A little about me; my name is Jordan and I'm about to start college this fall! I swim, write, read and do nothing else. My Tumblr is the same as my username. You should follow me. **

**And I'm so sorry for any mistakes. This hasn't been reviewed by anyone but me because I don't have a beta. Oh yeah! Hannah isn't sick in my story either. She's also pretty young. You can decide how young. I'm sorry if that bothers you.**

**On to the second day! *charges forth on a stallion* **

**_Tuesday, July 11_****_th_**

Chris wakes quickly to his alarm the next morning, achingly excited and ready to get to their first park of the trip, Magic Kingdom. Secretly, it's his favorite of the four. There is something about the oldest Disney World Park that makes his heart soar. The characters, the rides, the music, the food, the people, the decorations are so inherently _Disney _that his heart practically sings with the magic of it all. Having grown up in California, Chris is pretty familiar with Disneyland, but he'd pick Magic Kingdom over the west coast version any day. _I mean come on_, _Cinderella's castle for God's sake._

"Good morning, sport," Chris' dad says as he walks from the master bedroom to the kitchen. He's dressed in a classic dad vacation outfit - Hawaiian style button up, cargo shorts, sandals and a camera hanging from his neck. There is a spring in his step that Chris hasn't seen in a while, and it makes him smile softly.

"Morning Dad," Chris says. "When are we leaving?"

Tim begins to pack a large white cooler with drinks, sandwiches and chips. The Colfers have planned to store lunch each day in the car and send Tim and Karyn out to get it whenever they get hungry. "It's what the book suggested," said Karyn when she announced the plan.

"Soon; your mom is getting Hannah dressed now. They should be done by the time you're ready."

Chris nods, folds up his makeshift bed, and offers to help his dad load the car. After assuring Chris that he has it covered, Tim sends his son off to prepare for the day.

It only takes Chris half an hour to shower, shave the little bit of stumble that's accumulated on his neck and jaw, style his hair, and dress in knee-length gray shorts and his favorite _British at Heart _t-shirt. He grabs his sunglasses and iPhone from the coffee table and just makes it out the door as his mom starts shouting, "Chris I swear you're the only person in the world that is capable of being late every day."

Chris rushes out the door and pecks his mom on the cheek. "At least I'm consistent."

"I want to go to Tomorrow Land!"

"We should walk Main Street first!"

"No, Frontier Land!"

"But _Liberty Square _– all of that history!"

"Kids!" Karyn Colfer sings to silence her overly enthusiastic children sitting in the backseat. "We'll do it all; don't worry. And even if we can't get to everything today we have the park hopper passes and can come back whenever we want."

Tim Colfer parks the rental car near the Ferryboat entrance to Magic Kingdom. He starts to say, "We're here!" but his children have already jumped out of the car with gleeful shouts and are bounding towards the gates.

"I always think they're growing up so fast," Karyn laughs as he husband slips an arm around her waist.

"And then you bring them to Disney World," Tim agrees.

Chris and Hannah wait with mock impatience for their parents at the gate to the Ferry. One of the beautiful boats had just arrived and was slowly filling to the brim with excited passengers. Chris boards first, and immediately grabs them a spot by a window. He and Hannah spend the whole ride to the park dangling precariously through the large opening and pointing towards the silhouette of Cinderella's Castle in the distance. Hearts are beating fast with adrenaline, faces are adorned with broad grins, and the air is thrumming with excitement when the boat docks at last. The little family exits and works their way to the security line, moving quickly because only Tim has a backpack. At the turn stiles, Karyn hands the park hopper passes to Hannah ("Oh look it's Daisy Duck!"), Chris ("Chip and Dale, mom, is this supposed to be a joke?") and Tim. They scan their cards and their thumbs, and Chris can feel the shift in the atmosphere as he actually steps inside Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.

"Come on Chris! Let's go!" Hannah takes her older brother's hand and drags him forward, under the entrance tunnel, and into the new world.

_Breathtaking, _is the word that comes to mind when Chris finally lays eyes on Main Street USA and the castle on the horizon. All of the small town shops are crowded with families laughing, talking and running to meet the various characters walking around. There is music playing from somewhere on the rooftops, and Chris feels his eyes prickle at the pure magic of it all. Hannah lights up like a Christmas tree under the influence of the infectious joy, and seeing her so happy makes it even harder for Chris to contain his emotions 

"Hurry up you two, Disney is waiting!" Their mom shouts ironically, and Chris and Hannah both laugh before jogging, hand in hand, to meet up with their parents a few yards ahead.

Four hours pass before Hannah begins to grumble about being hungry, so the Colfer parents leave the kids in the park to fetch lunch. They already explored Tomorrow Land, Liberty Square and Frontier Land, so Chris suggests they check out Adventure Land.

With a knowing smirk, Chris says, "I hear that's where we can meet Aladdin."

"What!" Hannah exclaims. "We should have been there hours ago, I can't keep my husband waiting Bubba, let's go!" And she marches away towards the large sign reading _Adventure Land _with a single fist in the air.

"Yo ho, yo ho the pirate's life for me!" Chris and Hannah sing happily, sporting individual pirate hats and eye patches. They laugh exuberantly and use their play swords to poke at each other's sides as they walk towards the long line forming outside of the Agrabah trading post. Hannah stops walking and stares at the people curiously.

She asks, "What are they waiting for, Chris?"

Instead of answering with a made up conclusion, Chris walks to a mother of three waiting in line. He taps her lightly on the shoulder, and she turns to him with a smile. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, please. What is this line for?"

"We're waiting to meet Aladdin!" One of her little daughters, dressed as Tinkerbell, exclaims adorably.

"You are?" Chris asks curiously and crouches to her level. "That's so cool! Are you excited?"

The little girl blushes at the attention, hides behind her mother's leg, but nods and smiles all the same. Chris chuckles and stands, giving the girl's mother an appreciative smile and a heartfelt, "Have fun!"

By the time he makes it back to Hannah, his sister is already waiting at the back of the line.

Chris and Hannah wait for half an hour before they reach the front of the line. By the time they reach the long purple curtain that separates them from their favorite prince, both kids are thrumming with excitement.

"Chris…Chris! Does my hair look ok?" Hannah asks, desperately trying to fix her pigtails. She had abandoned the pirate hat a few minutes ago, and it is now held safely in Chris' hand. He'd kept his own on though. _Pirates rock._

"For the third time: yes, Hannah," Chris laughs. She pouts a little, but looks satisfied.

Adorable, Chris thinks, I hope she never stops believing that fairytales are real.

Suddenly, Chris is torn from his thoughts by the sound of the curtain opening. He can see the black shadows of the figures behind it ripple in shadow. "Sorry guys," a chipper, female cast member says once she gets around the fabric. "Aladdin and Jasmine have to go feed the camels now, but they'll be back after the parade!"

Chris feels his heart physically drop at the look of disappointment on his little sister's face. "But – please? Can't we just – we don't need a picture, she just wants to say hi."

The cast member frowns and shakes her head, "I'm sorry sir; you'll have to come back later."

With a sigh, Chris takes Hannah's hand and says softly, "Ok. Thank you."

"Wait!" The two siblings stop mid-step at the unfamiliar voice from behind the curtain. "Are there subjects that still need to be seen?"

The cast member closes her eyes briefly in annoyance, almost like this is something that happens often, before readopting her bright grin. "Yes, Prince Aladdin, do you wish to see them?"

"I do! Send them in."

Hannah begins to bounce up and down as the curtain is drawn back and they enter the little sandstone alcove. "Hi!" She shouts joyously. Chris hangs back just behind the curtain, allowing her time to interact with the character alone.

"Hello princess," Aladdin says smoothly, and Chris smiles at the sincerity of his voice. "Are you having fun today?"

It's really a beautiful thing, Chris realizes, what these characters are doing for all the little kids that meet them. Meeting the hero from their favorite fairytale encourages children to believe that dreams do come true. It helps them understand that the line between fact and fiction is thin, and they can choose to cross over to each side as they please. Because in that moment, that brief period of time when a child first lays eyes on the physical character that has occupied their imagination for so long, _anything _is possible.

Like when I pick up a pen. When I pick up a pen I can be anyone, go anywhere, and see anything. The possibilities are endless when you believe in your own imagination, and believe in the fictional world that exists within everyday life.

"Yeah, my brother, Chris! He's out there; I think he's being shy. You're his favorite prince too. He says he likes your hair in the movie, but I like it more in real life," Chris hears Hannah say, and he slaps his forehead with the palm of his hand.

A lighthearted chuckle follows Hannah's (_embarrassing_) admission. "Is that so? Well, thank you princess. May I meet your brother?"

"Sure!" Before he can think the words _oh shit_, Hannah is rushing through the curtain and grabbing at Chris' hand with enough force to crush all of his fingers.

"Ow, Hannah, gentle, please," he scolds kindly.

"Here he is!" Hannah gets behind Chris in the last second, and shoves him right into Aladdin's personal space. Two strong hands grip Chris' upper arms, and he finds himself starring into the most dazzling hazel eyes he's ever seen.

"Woah there Matee!" The handsome prince says with a boisterous laugh. "You best get your land legs before you hurt yourself."

Chris can literally _feel _the blood rushing from his chest to his neck, and he just _knows_ that his face is turning that incredibly unattractive shade of red that's plagued his entire existence. "I – what? Oh, right, the hat. Well, sorry I just – walking can be difficult sometimes," he finishes lamely, a hand coming up to take off the hat.

But Aladdin just laughs like he completely understands. "You don't have to tell me twice, that's why I ride a magic carpet!"

Chris quirks an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"Oh yes, he's my pal," the man in front of him has so much mirth in his eyes, Chris is almost convinced that he really does fly around on a rug at night. He giggles (a very masculine giggle) at the thought.

"Well I'm glad you two get along. Wouldn't want your ride crashing you into a sand dune out of spite," Chris teases, and is rewarded by another infectious laugh.

"No, definitely not."

"How about a picture?" The cast member asks, putting an end to the two boys' banter. Chris is really starting to dislike the woman.

Hannah demands that she take one with Aladdin so Chris takes out his phone as they get situated. Through the semi-blurry iPhone camera lens, he is able to really look at the prince for the first time.

Aladdin – Chris doesn't know his _real _name, so he decides the man's fictional one will work for now – is actually pretty short, but in a compact way. His skin is tan and stretched taught over defined muscles that show from under his "street clothes." The hair beneath his red hat is jet black, curly, and slightly damp from the moist Florida air. He's actually kind of…

Beautiful.

Chris clears his throat, says, "Smile!" and nods to the posing duo that the picture is good.

"Thank you!" Hannah says to Aladdin, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug.

He returns the gesture happily. "Of course princess, it has been a pleasure."

"Christopher! Hannah! We have lunch!" The voice of their mother instantly draws both Chris and Hannah's attention, but it's Hannah that squeals and runs from the alcove, mind already moving from Aladdin to food. Chris is left alone, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, but not entirely ready to leave.

"So uh…thanks for that. She really adores you," he eventually mutters. Speak up you dumbass! He's just an attractive guy. Hell, he's dressed in flowy pants! You have the power here!

Aladdin sends him a blazing smile. "I always have time for my subjects!" Chris can see the real man behind his friendly gaze, and he's silently saying, "You're welcome."

With a soft smile, Chris moves to reopen the curtain.

"Do you not want to take a picture?" The smooth voice fills Chris' ears, and he suddenly wants to take a picture _very much. _

He manages to keep his cool, turn around, and shrug out a, "Sure." Feigning confidence and holding his chin high, Chris walks over to wear Aladdin's arm is outstretched and waiting for him to fit into his side. The man's body is warm and solid against Chris', and he has to fight the urge to press in closer, longer.

The cast member is busy on her phone, so Chris whips out his own and they take a selfie.

"What is this device? How does it work?" Aladdin asks curiously after the photo is taken, grabbing the phone from Chris' hand and holding it in the air like it just sprouted legs.

Chris rolls his eyes. "A cell phone. There is a little woman inside of it named Siri that knows everything. I know you have one, _Aladdin._"

"I know not what you speak of," Aladdin replies, but the playful glint in his eye says otherwise. Chris rolls his eyes again and laughs, snatching the cell phone from where the prince had placed it on his hat.

"Christopher, come eat!" Chris' dad shouts from somewhere outside the pavilion, and Chris lets out a sigh as he picks up the two abandoned pirate hats on the ground.

"You're being summoned, _Prince Christopher_," Aladdin informs him.

"Thank you," Chris says sarcastically. He meets Aladdin's eyes from where he's still standing too close, and he feels a shiver run down the length of spine to his toes. With a final toothless smile and a little wave, Chris opens the curtain. "See you around, Ali-a-boo-boo."

"Uncalled for, dear sir," Aladdin says in a mock wounded tone, but his eyes are gentle.

Chris winks (_please God don't let it have looked like a muscle spasm_), and ducks under the purple fabric before he can hear the whispered, "Goodbye."

"There you are!" Karyn huffs once Chris has reached his family. "What took you so long?"

Chris shrugs and tries to hide his grin behind the ham sandwich he's supposed to eat. "Just taking a picture."

"With ALADDIN!" Hannah adds through a mouthful of Cheez-Its. The smile on Chris' face grows a little bigger at his name, and he takes a bite of his food to avoid the questioning look his mother is giving him and the many questions forming on her lips.

He was funny, he was charming, he was handsome, he was perfect…he was everything a Disney prince should be.

But he'll never be anything more.


	3. Tuesday, July 11th (Part 2)

**So this is the last one I'll post on here for a bit! There are…two more? No, there's one more on Tumblr with another on the way. But I want to see what kind of feedback I get on here before I keep going. Ya feel me? So by all means, please review, favorite, follow, etc. **

**Here we go! :)**

Around 8:00pm, the Colfer family finds a spot on the ground for the Main Street Electrical Parade. The spectacular is set to begin at 8:30, and the park closes at 9:00.

Their sitting location is ideal; right in front of the castle at the peak of the curve in the road. They'll be able to see the dazzling floats as they approach, and then again as they glide away. Chris can't wait to experience the magic of such a beautiful event.

"Ten more minutes!" He shouts happily after checking his phone for the umpteenth time. The family just chuckles in response, shaking their heads fondly.

"Thank you, Chris," Tim says.

It's not like Chris can help being excited; this day has already been one of the best in his life, and there are still nine more to the vacation. His stomach flips when he thinks about all of the amazing adventures that have still yet to happen.

"Hey!" Hannah shouts. "Chris, we get to see Aladdin again."

And then Chris' stomach flips for an entirely different reason. "I hope so," is his reply.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight at Disney's: Magic Kingdom, for the Main Street Electrical Parade!" A voice booms throughout the park. The crowd cheers boisterously. It's time!

"Look!" Chris shouts, and he doesn't care that he sounds like a child: there are GLOWING fairies dancing down the street! Then Tinker Bell is gliding by on a huge, gorgeously lit float with flowers and trees and toadstools and he almost loses his shit.

Chris has lost count of all the floats that have passed by the time his throat is raw from cheering. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast Cinderella: all of his favorite movies illuminated by millions of multicolored lights.

Hannah exclaims, "Aladdin!" and Chris' heart stops.

There, atop a giant lamp made of golden lights, sits Aladdin dressed as Prince Ali. He's smiling and waving joyously next to a beautiful Princess Jasmine, and there is no doubt in Chris' mind that it's the same one they met earlier that day. He cheers, a massive grin suddenly spreading across his face.

All around, people are cheering and waving at the royalty sitting on the lamp. They do their best to acknowledge each adoring face, but there is one that Aladdin is dying to see. Finally, thankfully, he does, and he is sure that his responding smile will stretch his cheeks indefinitely.

Chris blushes when Aladdin waves directly at him and then Hannah. It seems that the prince's smile grows a little broader, a little brighter, when Chris beams back, but it could just be the distance or it could just be Chris' optimism. _There is no way a man like him would be excited to see a guy like me._

Suddenly, the upbeat, electrical show music is fizzling out, and all of the bright lights follow them soon after. All of Main Street is engrossed in darkness as the power is lost.

"Ladies and gentlemen," that same, loud voice announces over the intercom, "we are very sorry for the interruption, but we seem to be experiencing technical difficulties. Please remain seated, and do not cross the parade route. Thank you."

There are "boos" and "awws" up and down Main Street. Most of the families with small children get up and head to the exit; others stand and stretch or walk away from the frozen floats to buy snacks. The regular street lights have come on, and Chris can see that his mom, dad and sister have gotten up as well.

"What – wait, where are you going?" He asks, twisting on the ground to look at them.

"Bathroom," his mom says.

"Coke," his dad replies simultaneously, and the three Colfers walk away.

Chris waves at their retreating backs and says sarcastically, "Oh don't worry about my bladder, or my thirst. I'm good, I'll save our spots." He sighs and pulls out his phone. This is what it means to be the oldest child, after all.

"Are you watching the parade all alone, Prince Christopher?" Chris jumps at the sound of that smooth, sensual voice he had grown to love earlier, and looks up from his phone.

"Aladdin!" _Was that my voice or a ten year old girl's? _"Uh, no, my family just went to get food and go to the bathroom." Aladdin is standing over him behind the dividing rope, arms crossed over his chest and feet spread wide. Chris has the sudden urge to stand up because he misses being taller than the prince. He's much more intimidating like this.

But, before he can do anything else, Aladdin is crouching down and sitting cross legged in front of Chris. Over the gorgeous man's shoulder, Chris can see that Jasmine is doing the same thing with a group of girls, so he assumes that the actor's behavior isn't too peculiar. "It wasn't very kind of them to leave you on the streets alone. There could be palace guards about!"

"Well," Chris jokes, "not all of us are wanted street rats."

Aladdin beams, and doesn't miss a beat. "Ah but I am a Sultan now!" They share a quick smile, and the man reaches once more for the phone resting on Chris' knee. "And as your Sultan I demand that you unlock this strange device."

Chris rolls his eyes, but types in his password anyway. "Yes, your majesty."

"Thanks!" The prince chirps once the deed is done, and Chris notices it's the first out-of-character thing he's said all day.

"So, what exactly happened?" Chris asks, hoping to spark another conversation and maybe hear the prince's voice again.

"With the lamp?" Aladdin glances from the phone screen to see Chris nod. "I don't know; Genie probably got tired."

A bubbly laugh escapes Chris' lips. "Right, I see. You should really give him a vacation or something."

"I'll tell him you think so, he'll appreciate such a nice suggestion coming from a handsome prince like yourself," Aladdin says slowly, clearly, and in a low tone, like he wants Chris to hear every word.

"Oh, I uh - thanks," is the eloquent reply that Chris manages to sputter.

"Of course," the prince replies. The two men make eye contact and hold it, neither wanting to look away from the other's steady gaze. Hazel bores into blue, and a spark of electricity ignites between them.

Then, literally, a spark is emitted from the lamp behind Aladdin, and the Electrical Parade is back online. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Presenting, the Main Street Electrical Parade!"

Aladdin sighs and Chris would swear he sounds disappointed. "That's my cue." He jumps up to his feet in one fluid motion, leaving Chris on a ground that feels a lot colder than it did two seconds ago.

"Duty calls," Chris says breathlessly, in awe. Aladdin smiles.

"Oh, here is your listening device with the smart lady inside of it," he bends down and places Chris' phone back onto his knee. "Thank you for keeping me company. Tell your family to enjoy the parade! Farewell!"

"Bye," Chris breathes, and he knows Aladdin can't hear him, but he says it anyway.

Chris' family shows up not one float later and they squeal with delight at the sound of the music and the twinkling lights. He smiles at them, wide and with teeth, but they don't ask why he's so happy and he doesn't say anything about his interaction with Aladdin. For some reason, the encounter feels like one of those things you just want to lock in a box and store away for your own safe keeping. Like sharing it with anyone on the outside would taint the memory.

Once the parade ends, the Colfer family makes the treacherous walk down Main Street and out to the ferry docks. They ride the boat to the parking lot in near silence, only speaking to recount their favorite moments of the day per request of Hannah.

"Riding Space Mountain," Chris says after a moment of thought. It's partially true, that was _one _of his favorite moments, but his absolute favorite was talking to Aladdin. He'll never forget it.

After a walk to their car, a fifteen minute drive to Lighthouse Key and a two minute hike to their apartment, the little family is finally able to drop their shopping bags and relax for the night. It only takes them ten minutes to settle into their respective sleeping areas, and Chris is the last to slip under the covers of his bed. He plugs his phone into the wall charger, fully prepared to leave it alone until he's throwing his alarm across the room in seven hours. That is, until it vibrates.

Assuming it is Ashley, he picks it up with a groan. _I hope nothing's wrong._

**1 (407)-555-7890: Good evening, Prince Christopher! I think I figured out how to use your communication device while we were talking earlier tonight. I hope you don't mind. :) - Aladdin**

Chris' heart is pounding against his ribcage. He doesn't know what to think, or even if he's thinking at all! The text is reread at least five times before Chris is able to breathe, and even then he can't fully comprehend what's going on.

_He texted himself,_ he realizes. _He took my phone, texted himself, and kept the number. Holy fucking shit. Either this is amazing, or I'm about to be the subject of the first real life Walt Disney murder mystery._

**Chris: As a logically thinking person, I believe I'm entitled to be a little freaked out, actually. However, I am glad that you were able to breach the generation gap and use my phone. Well done.**

Chris hopes that the text doesn't come off rude, but he doesn't want to sound overly excited either. _I forgot how hard this texting bullshit is. _

A minute later, he gets a reply and is immediately relieved.

**1 (407)-555-7890: Haha! Don't worry, it's really me and I'm not a murderer or anything; just your everyday street rat. **

**Chris: I thought you said you were a Sultan.**

And then, with more courage:

**;)**

The reply is nearly instantaneous.

**1 (407)-555-7890: I can be anything you want me to be.**

Ok, Chris has no idea what to say to that. Does such a bad line even warrant a reply? Aladdin seems to be thinking the same thing.

**1 (407)-555-7890: Fuck, I'm sorry.**

**1 (407)-555-7890: I'm not a douche, I swear.**

**1 (407)-555-7890: I just haven't had coffee in like ten hours and I'm pathetically nervous.**

Although it's only through text, Chris can tell by the speed of the replies that the poor guy really does feel bad, and he really is nervous. Oddly enough, that makes Chris feel better.

**Chris: Well, Not A Douche, who are you? **

Chris waits and waits, hoping that Aladdin takes the bait and gives him a little information about him. _It's only fair; he knows my name._

After much too long, so long that Chris is barely conscious enough to read the answer, a text finally comes through made up of four simple words.

**1 (407)-555-7890: I'm Darren, Darren Criss. **


	4. Wednesday, July 12th (Part 1)

Chris awakes the next morning when his alarm goes off. He experiences a moment of panic in which he can't find his phone on the side table, and he thinks that the horrendous noise will continue forever, but he is eventually able to fish his phone from the couch cushions and silence the device. _Stupid Marimba, whoever created this fucking sound needs to die, _the college student thinks bitterly.

Frustrated that his phone hadn't been charging all night, Chris plugs it back into the wall, hoping that the hour before they leave will be long enough to gain some juice. He is just about to get up from the couch to take a shower when Chris remembers why he had fallen asleep texting.

"Oh!" He shouts in surprise as he reads the last text of the conversation.

**1 (407)-555-7890: I'm Darren, Darren Criss. **

_Darren Criss…Darren Criss_…He tries out the name in his head, and decides that yes, that man could be a Darren. Immediately, the contact in his phone is changed. Chris feels like floating as he replies to the man's self-identification.

**Chris: It's a pleasure to meet you, Darren Criss.**

He leaves the phone on the table (_after all_, _Mom always said a watched pot never boils_) to go get ready. Having been late yesterday morning, Chris set his alarm a bit earlier to ensure his punctuality today. Like always, it takes the man thirty minutes to shower and dress in black shorts and a gray Ravenclaw House graphic t-shirt.

Chris walks into the kitchen, smiles at his dad and asks, "Need any help?"

"Actually, will you take these coolers to the car? I still need to sunscreen it up," his dad replies. Chris rolls his eyes fondly and bends over to pick up the Styrofoam containers. He takes them to the car, loads them up, and then proceeds to make the short walk back to the condo. Only then does he allow himself to look at his phone.

No new messages.

Trying desperately not to be disappointed, Chris sighs and sits on the couch to wait for his family. He concludes that he can sleep in those extra thirty minutes tomorrow.

"Alright Colfers, who's ready for some futuristic fun at Epcot?" Tim shouts, camera hanging from his neck once again and Mickey Mouse ears displayed proudly on his head. Chris is _this close _to laughing at his insane dorkiness, but then he looks down at his own shirt and realizes he has no room to judge.

"I am!" His mom yells as she enters the living room wearing a massive Goofy hat.

_My whole family is whacked_, he realizes. _And it's kind of awesome._

"Alright, we're starting in the main part of the park, doing everything we want there, and then heading over to the World Showcase before Illuminations," Karyn informs her family on the car ride over. Chris beams; he's been so excited to visit the Worlds, and pulling into the parking lot makes his heart thud against his chest. London, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, all of these amazing places he's always wanted to visit in one convenient location. It's practically a dozen vacations in one!

"Well we should do the future stuff quickly," Chris suggests, "I skipped breakfast so that I'd have room for food from every country."

Hannah punches his arm lightly, and the whole family laughs. They finally pull into the parking lot, unload the car, and are each handed their respective park passes. Chris and Hannah skip ahead of their parents towards Spaceship Earth, singing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Da at the top of their lungs and not caring who sees. Once inside the insanely cool park entrance, the two kids grab a map and wait for their mom and dad.

"We'll get Fastpasses for Soarin' first," says Karyn, "while you two get in line for Mission: Space." Because this park is supposed to be much busier than Magic Kingdom had been yesterday, the Colfers need to be strategic in their park perusing.

Hannah and Chris salute their mother, "Yes ma'am!" And proceed to follow the signs to the massive space station that houses the ride Mission: Space.

Once situated in the line for the green level ride, Hannah is immediately engrossed in trying to find Hidden Mickey faces amidst the intricate decorations. Chris participates in the search for a minute, but decides to check his phone once the score reaches three to zip. He bites his lip to hide the smile that forces its way onto his face when he sees the unopened message from twenty minutes ago.

**Darren Criss: The pleasure is mine Christopher! (Do I get a last name as well?)**

**Chris: I think I can manage that… It's Colfer.**

The line moves forward a little so that the siblings are directly under the _Estimated Wait Time: 30 Minutes_ sign.

**Darren Criss: Colfer. Christopher Colfer. I like it!**

**Chris: Thank you for your approval, I will be able to sleep tonight.**

**Darren Criss: But of course. I am an incredibly selfless individual.**

Chris loves this. He loves the banter, the jokes and the teasing undertone that hides their genuine interest in each other. In fact, he loves it so much that he forgets to text back in favor of daydreaming about the prince. It isn't until he receives a nudge from – _Darren, wow_– that he replies.

**Darren Criss: :)**

**Chris: So, are you not Aladdin today?**

**Darren Criss: No, I am, I just don't go in until like noon. And no parade tonight; I get off early! *does a little dance***

**Chris: *judges your dance* That's great! I can't imagine ever wanting to leave MK though, I miss it already.**

**Darren Criss: Hey, don't judge the dance, it's a magic dance. Aren't you coming back? :(**

Chris has no doubt that his dance is magical, and he also doesn't doubt that Darren actually did the dance - Aladdin costume and all.

**Chris: Not for a little while. We're at Epcot today, which is also proving to be incredible.**

**Darren Criss: I know! Every park is fucking amazing in its own way.**

**Chris: I can tell. :)**

Chris and Hannah's parents have rejoined them by now, and Chris has to make a valiant effort to ignore the look his mother gives him when his phone chimes in his pocket.

**Darren Criss: You need to stay at Epcot for Illuminations!**

**Chris: We are! I'm most excited to see it and the World Showcase.**

**Darren Criss: Haha You seem like the type to enjoy the Worlds more than the rides.**

**Chris: …Should I be offended?**

**Darren Criss: No, never.**

Mission: Space is amazing, as is Ellen's Energy Adventure and Spaceship Earth. Test Track was so fun that Karyn and Tim had to buy the picture taken at the launch point of the car, much to their son's chagrin.

"Mom," Chris had whined. "Mom, don't, I look like a bald monkey!"

"Oh hush Christopher, it is funny and adorable."

"But Mom…"

"No buts or it's going on the Christmas card."

And that is how Chris' mom won the argument, the family gained a picture, and Chris lost a bit of his dignity.

After finishing most of the rides around Spaceship Earth and exploring The Seas, the Colfer family visits the Land pavilion to ride Living with the Land and, finally, Soarin'. The pavilion is air conditioned and smells like fresh food when they walk through the doors.

"Woah," Hannah breathes. "This is cool."

Chris nods in agreement. "Yeah."

"Well," she looks around a bit more, an excited glint in her eye, and takes both Chris' and her dad's hands. "Let's go!"

They get in line for Living with the Land, and Chris has no idea what to expect. The theme of the rest of the park has been the future, technological advancement and ecological awareness, but the Land is a bit different. The walls are covered with quotes about the earth; it's obvious that the most predominant theme is education and the coexistence of man and nature.

It's pretty amazing.

So, as they load into the little boats, Chris can't help but squirm in anticipation. He loves to learn new things. The boat pulls away from the dock, and they travel down a dark river through different biozones, listening to the narrator speak about each display. The whole ride is as such; except that, instead of through plastic displays, the second half of the ride takes the boat into the Epcot gardens and fish farms. All in all, it's a really neat and informative ride.

When they disembark, the family runs to Soarin' so that they make their designated Fast Pass time.

"I'm sorry guys," the park employee in front of the gate says once they reach the ride. "Soarin' is closed for the time being. A kid had an accident on the top row."

Chris scrunches his nose in disgust. _How unfortunate._

"We'll come back, don't worry," Chris' dad assures them as they leave the Land plaza. In all honesty, Chris is fine with missing the last ride of Future World. He's ready to explore the World Showcase.

They walk across the park in the bright Florida sun, laughing and talking about all of the cool things they hope to see before Illuminations. It's just past 2:00pm, Chris knows that Darren has probably already donned the Aladdin costume and gone out into the park, but he texts him anyway. For strictly informative purposes, of course.

**Chris: Soarin' is closed. Time for the World Showcase! :D**

The Colfers make their way to Mexico, and Chris begins to attempt speaking some very rough but very hilarious Spanish. Laughing at their eldest son's antics, Tim and Karyn give both of their kids some pocket money to buy whatever they want. Hannah starts blabbering on about visiting Tokyo and Germany to get candy, but Chris is determined to save his money until they reach the United Kingdom.

The World Showcase exceeds Chris' expectations on authenticity and adventure. They do everything on the first half of the island; ride the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico, Maelstrom in Norway, explore every corner of the Chinese gardens, buy tons of German candy, and they reach Italy by 5:00pm.

Karyn stops them outside of a little store and announces, "Bathroom break!" to the rest of the family. As much as Chris doesn't want to stop walking – they're _so close _to London – he acquiesces to the light pressure in his bladder. After doing his business in the men's room, Chris looks around the gift shop while he waits for the rest of his family. When he picks up a miniature Roman Coliseum, his phone vibrates. With one hand, Chris reads the text and smiles.

**Darren Criss: That sucks man, Soarin' kicks ass. But I'm glad you get to go to World Showcase! Where are you?**

**Chris: Italy!**

**Darren Criss: Ah sì, il più grande paese del mondo, bello!**

Chris pauses in his examination of the figurine to reread the message. He may not speak Italian, but he definitely recognizes the last word of the statement. A blush creeps into his neck as he replies. _Thank God he can't actually see me._

**Chris: You speak Italian? Color me impressed. Oh yeah, aren't you supposed to be working?**

Each of Darren's replies come one after the other, making Chris roll his eyes.

**Darren Criss: Si, è una lingua meravigliosa.**

**Darren Criss: And I am working**

**Darren Criss: Well, I'm in costume. I just finished a picture session but I kind of want to walk around Adventureland before I'm off.**

**Darren Criss: Yeah I'm gonna walk around Adventureland :)**

At this point, Chris' family members have left the bathrooms and are making their way towards him through the crowd. He sends one last text before they are reunited.

**Chris Colfer: I'm glad I could help you decide. ;) Have fun; make a kid's day for me!**

The American Adventure is pretty standard in Chris' opinion, and it kind of makes him sad that the only thing America has to display are muskets and raccoon hats, but he gets over it when they travel into Japan. Hannah stays true to her word and buys $30 worth of candy and soda pop with Chris trailing behind her. They laugh and taste the new sweets as the family passes through Morocco and France, and then, finally, Chris is in the United Kingdom.

_If this is the only taste of the United Kingdom that I get in my lifetime, that's fine, _he thinks once the shops are in view. Then adds as an afterthought, _But I hope it isn't. Sorry._

Chris bounces from shop to shop, taking everything in. The details are exquisite, the people loud and speaking with beautiful accents, and it's almost too much for the young man. He's so excited his heart could burst.

Now, the question is, what should he buy as a souvenir?

Eventually, after nearly an hour of walking from shop to shop and taking ridiculous pictures everywhere possible, Chris decides to purchase a London t-shirt, some sample teas and a Tardis keychain, because he can. He's reluctant to leave the amazing area, but Canada is calling and his parents are starting to plan where they'll sit for Illuminations.

As one can imagine, it doesn't take long to look around Canada. The family finishes within a few minutes, and their adventure in the World Showcase comes to a close at nearly 7:00pm.

"So," Tim starts once they've reached the beginning of the Showcase, "your mother and I are going to take the bags out to the car, and the two of you are going to find seats. Sound good?"

"Sounds good!" Chris and Hannah agree. They wave to their parents as they head out towards the car, and then the siblings are left to themselves. Finding a spot is easy enough, but with so many people already crowding around the water to see the show they end up sitting on the curb in Norway, legs extended to save room for their parents. Hannah is content to sit and watch the ducks in the water while nibbling on her candy, so Chris uses the silence to check his phone.

**Darren Criss: Oh don't worry, you were a big help. ;) All I have to say is that I love my job.**

**Darren Criss: But I'm off now.**

**Chris: Good, I'm glad you do! You're great at it.**

Darren's texts had been sent over half an hour ago, so Chris wonders what the man is up to now. It frightens him that a complete stranger, a stranger that he's spoken to twice while he was _in costume, _has spent so much time occupying Chris' thoughts. It's not like Chris could help it though. The beautiful, kind man had weaseled his way into Chris' heart and mind, and Chris couldn't see him going anywhere anytime soon. He just hoped that their…_acquaintanceship _grew past superficial text conversations and brief memories.

Chris jumps at the chime of his phone.

**Darren Criss: Thank you, Chris, that means a lot to me.**

**Chris: Of course.**

Then Chris feels like the conversation has extended beyond simple complimentary truths, so he adds:

**You make a wonderful Street Rat.**

**Darren Criss: Haha That may be so, but you'll find out there's so much more to me…**

**Chris: Ten points for song choice, six for context.**

**Darren Criss: I'll take it.**

**Darren Criss: So! Where are you now, Prince Christopher?**

**Chris: The land of Vikings and fjords!**

**Darren Criss: You actually know what a fjord is?**

**Chris: Yeah, I thought it was common knowledge.**

**Darren Criss: Haha No, not really. But that's ok, intelligence is sexy.**

Poor Chris flushes instantly at the flirty message. _Goddamn it! Stop blushing Chris; pull it together! He's just a guy. A guy who plays a Disney prince._

_Fuck it._

**Chris: Well, I have plenty more useless information where that came from.**

Chris doesn't get the immediate reply he's half-expecting, so he tries to occupy himself with other things, like counting trees. Counting trees is fun.

"Chris," Hannah whines, "How much longer until it starts?"

He opens his mouth to answer, but Chris never gets the chance because someone has already done it for him.

"About ten minutes, princess! Just enough time to get you guys some better seats."

The siblings crane their necks over their shoulders in order to see the person that has spoken. Evidently, it was the man standing above them on the sidewalk. At first, his entire being is cast in shadow, but then he steps into the moonlight and Chris has the faintest feeling of recognition.

The man is short, even seated on the curb Chris can see that, and he has raven curls that fall in delicate ringlets over his forehead and around his ears. He's dressed casually in slim jeans, a white button up and red moccasins, but his clothes aren't what Chris finds familiar – no, not even close. Behind thick rimmed, incredibly sexy glasses, Chris' eyes meet the most beautiful hazel eyes he's ever had the pleasure of seeing. Eyes that he's sure he'll never forget.

"_Darren_," Chris says breathlessly.

Darren's responding smile is glorious, bright enough to illuminate the entire park, Chris thinks. "I didn't think you'd recognize me without the costume."

Chris wants to say, _I could never forget your eyes_, but he figures that might be a little bit creepy, so he settles for stating, "Well I thought Aladdin was talking to us, but when I looked up and saw it was a _dude _I figured it had to be you."

"An excellent deduction Dr. Watson," Darren states in a mock British accent, but his smile seems to falter with disappointment at Chris' explanation. The brief lapse in his excitement is over as soon as it started though, and Darren drops to the ground and sits cross legged behind the siblings with a mumbled, "Oof."

Chris has to fight back a grin at the man's pure adorableness. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you silly!" He says unashamedly. "I came to see the show and needed friends to sit and share the magic with." When he smiles at Hannah, she finally speaks up.

"Who is this?" She asks Chris blatantly. Then, to Darren, "Who are you? Have we met before?"

Darren chuckles, and looks to Chris as if to say, _play along_. "Nice to meet you princess, my name is Darren Criss."

A flicker of recognition passes over Hannah's face, and she watches him skeptically. "But you sound like –"

"Aladdin?" Darren asks quickly, cutting her off. Hannah's eyes widen, and she nods, but Darren is prepared. "Psh, that guy? He's my cousin. Back in the day, we used to steal bread together in Agrabah, but then he met that _princess _and fell _in love _and he suddenly had no time for me." He leans towards Hannah and stage whispers, "You know how boys can be."

Hannah giggles, delighted that he'd share such a secret with her. "I do," she agrees seriously.

"So I don't see him much anymore, now that he's a Sultan." A moment passes in which Darren looks reflective, as if he misses his _cousin. _Chris is smiling ridiculous large; he finds it incredible that this man will go to such lengths to protect a single child's imaginative world. "Anyway," Darren chirps happily, hands coming down to clap on his thighs. "What do you guys think about blowing this Popsicle stand for a better view?"

Chris is actually able to stomp down on the instinct inside of him that's saying _yes, yes, yes! Anywhere you want_, and reply calmly, "How?" He receives another dashing smile in response.

"Why, dear Christopher, this is Walt Disney World!" Darren stands up and raises his hands in a grand gesture, his voice ascending to a near joyous shout. "Anything is possible!"


	5. Wednesday, July 12th (Part 2)

Chris can't believe it. He actually cannot mentally comprehend what is happening.

"You want us to what?" He demands.

"Climb up!" Darren insists. "I promise; you won't regret it."

Weaving through the large crowd of people like a pro, Darren had led Chris and Hannah all the way to the American Adventure within minutes. Once they got there, Darren ran to the side of the main building and pulled aside a few tree branches to reveal a fire escape ladder. It was then that his adorable face had donned the most irresistible, mischievous grin Chris had ever seen, and he politely commanded them to, "Climb on up."

"Darren," Chris starts, and he does take a moment to taste the name on his lips, sweet like sugar. "We can't…"

But the gorgeous actor just scoffs. "Says who? I see no sign. Plus, I work here. This is what people in the industry call: perks." He winks – fucking _winks_, at Chris – and begins to ascend the precarious ladder.

It only takes another breath before Chris is following his new, slightly insane, friend onto the roof, and Hannah is right behind him. Chris tries not to stare at the delicious swell of Darren's ass in those pants, but his rear end is literally inches from his face and a boy can only resist so much temptation at a time.

When they reach the top, Chris' eyes widen to the size of saucers, and he lets out a gasp of astonishment.

He's looking out at the World Showcase from the roof of the centermost building on the island. Everything is aglow with twinkling lights, light music is playing throughout all of the countries, and thousands of people surround the lake in anticipation of Illuminations. From where he stands, it looks like he can reach out and touch the entire world with his fingertips. Chris can't help but think back on a book he once read, and he wonders if this is what that author meant about feeling _infinite. _

A light pressure on the inside of his wrist draws Chris from the depth of his thoughts, and he turns to see Darren gripping his arm with tentative fingers. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Chris looks deep into Darren's hazel eyes, notices the slight unkemptness of his curly hair and the light stubble ghosting over his prominent jaw line, and whispers, "It is."

"Wow!" Hannah exclaims once she's reached the top of the building, and just like that the moment is over. "This is wicked cool."

Darren shakes his head, letting go of Chris' wrist. The place where his fingers touched feels cold and tingly when it's released. "I'm glad you think so!"

There is a railing that encircles the roof, like it was built to be the perfect Illuminations viewing platform, so the three friends stand up against it and look out onto the lake. Chris is standing between Darren and Hannah, his fingers so close to Darren's where they hold onto the bar that he can feel the heat, the desire to _hold, _radiating from them.

Before he can do something as equally stupid as embarrassing, Chris' phone rings loudly.

_"Let's have a kiki, I want to have a kiki –" _

His cheeks flush lightly as he answers it, shrugging at Darren's amused smirk. "Hello?"

_"Christopher? Where are you?" _His mom asks from the other end of the line.

"Oh! Mom!" During their brief but wonderful hiatus from the normal world, Chris had completely forgotten that his parents would inevitably be looking for him and his sister. "I'm sorry, we're actually in America. Well, on top of it." Beside him, Darren chuckles happily from deep in his chest.

_"What are you talking about? Chris –"_

"Just meet me in America, Mom. Don't worry." Chris hangs up the phone. "That was Mom," he supplies to Darren and Hannah lamely, although he's sure they know that already. Hannah just rolls her eyes, but Darren offers to walk with Chris when he goes to meet them.

"Sure," Chris agrees after he's caught his breath, "that would be great."

A few minutes later, Chris gets a text from his mom that informs him of there location. He and Darren assure Hannah that they'll be back in a moment, and head towards the ladder.

"I'll go first," Darren insists. "I don't want you to get hurt if you slip."

Part of Chris really wants to protest, wants to argue that he is perfectly capable of climbing down a ladder, thank you, but he doesn't, because the look in Darren's eye is so _genuine _that he feels an overwhelming amount of gratitude towards the actor. "Ok," he finally says with a smile of thanks.

Chris descends, and Darren guides him down the last few rungs of the ladder by the small of his back. He has to fight to suppress the shiver that runs throughout his body at the protective touch.

_Calm down, Colfer._

"Mom, Dad!" Chris shouts to get his parents' attention from where they're standing a few yards away under a tree. The street has gone almost completely dark in preparation for the show, so Chris hopes that Darren can't tell if he's still blushing.

"Hey bud!" Chris' dad greets him. "Where are our seats? I don't see any places free." The older man pauses in front of his son, his eyes scanning the shorter boy at Chris' side. "And who's this?"

"Oh uh…" Words caught in his throat from unexpected nerves, Chris struggles to get out his answer, despite the simplicity.

Thankfully, he wasn't alone in his personal battle. Darren, like the true prince charming he is, swoops in and saves the day. "Good evening, sir! My name is Darren Criss. I work here at Disney World and I'm a friend of your son's." He extends his hand to Tim, who takes it after a moment.

"Pleasure to meet you," he says, "any friend of Chris' is a friend of ours." By the smile on his face, and his mother's knowing look, Chris can tell that he means it.

After Darren and Karyn Colfer are acquainted, a loud voice booms over the World Showcase. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Walt Disney's World Showcase at Epcot. We hope that you enjoy Illuminations!"

"Hurry we're going to miss it!" Chris shouts. Before any of the other adults can react, Chris has both Darren and his mom by the hand and is dragging them towards the ladder. It doesn't take much to convince the Colfer parents to climb up, and they're reunited with Hannah just as the first firework is ignited over the water. "Oh!" Chris breathes in delight.

From their place above the crowd, the Colfers and Darren can see absolutely everything. Each firework is perfect in form and color, and every detail can be seen with complete clarity. The beginning of the show is exciting and beautiful.

"Did you see that?" Chris exclaims, his face glowing in the warm light of the fireworks. "This is incredible!"

Darren smiles, and he is proud that he can bring Chris and his family so much joy through something so simple. "It really is," he replies. Darren has seen Illuminations hundred times from all different positions in the World Showcase; he knows exactly what is going to happen from one minute to the next, so he doesn't feel bad for choosing to stare at Chris' profile rather than the show. The boy is stunning in the bright, explosive lights.

"There is FIRE on the WATER!" Hannah shouts in complete astonishment. "How do they DO that?"

Bending down behind her and pointing at the pond, Darren whispers, "It's magic," loud enough for both Hannah and Chris to hear. Hannah is thrilled by his answer, and begins to cheer even louder as the music slows and the metal earth begins to turn and open.

Darren straightens up and takes his place next to Chris again. They share a lingering smile; Chris' thankful and amazed, Darren's enamored and genuine.

_Maybe this is the place where dreams come true, _Chris wonders to himself.

This time, he doesn't hesitate to brush his fingers over Darren's where they rest on the railing. Darren's responding smile is possibly the most breathtaking thing Chris has ever seen, and it makes him want to hold his hand forever, if only he will continue to smile like that.

_"With the stillness of the night_  
_there comes a time to understand_  
_to reach out and touch tomorrow _  
_take the future in our hand_"

Hands overlapped and faces flushed red in the darkness, Chris and Darren feel giddy with the magic of the show and the presence of one another. As the fountains erupt, the finale of fireworks explode over their heads, and a thousand dancing lights shine out over the worlds, neither can think of a more perfect place on earth.

_"We can see a new horizon_  
_built on all that we have done_  
_and our dreams begin another_  
_thousand circles 'round the sun"_

The ending song is perfect, Chris believes, and he finds himself wishing that the show will never end. He is surprised to find that there are silent tears falling gracefully down his cheeks, but he isn't the least bit embarrassed when Darren raises a tentative hand to gently brush them away. Their eyes meet once more, as the World Showcase is illuminated by the dazzling lights of the show's ending scene.

There is a brief pause of amazement before the entire crowd erupts into thunderous applause.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" Hannah declares. "Mom! Chris! Did you see when the movie was playing on the globe? Oh! When the fountains were lit up by the lights! Can we see it again?"

Chris is reluctant to look away from Darren, but his sister is insistently tugging on his shirt and the hand that is resting in Darren's is starting to feel too hot, so he leaves him with one last smile before addressing Hannah. "We can definitely see it again, honey! It was…awesome."

"Thank you, Darren. This was really spectacular," Karyn Colfer says, and Darren is shaken from the stupor caused by watching Chris interact with Hannah.

He beams charmingly. "It was my pleasure. If you'd like, I could walk you to your car?"

Tim shakes his head. "You don't need to do that, son…"

"No no, I insist!" And he does. _Any extra moment I can glean with Chris. _"I know a shortcut."

Chris assumes that the offer of a shortcut is too great to pass up for his parents' tired feet, so they agree to let Darren guide them out of the park. Once they've successfully climbed down the ladder, Hannah yawns.

"Daddy, I'm tired," she admits.

"Hang in there sweetie, you can sleep in the car," he responds.

Darren, like the superhero he is proving to be, swoops in and bends down expectantly in front of Hannah. His back is facing her. "Hop on!"

"Really?" Hannah asks timidly.

"Yeah come on! I'll be your noble steed."

Hannah looks at her parents for approval, giggling when they smile and nod for her to go ahead. After she's secured on Darren's back, they begin their journey to the parking lot. "Onward fair princess and family! Let us return you to thy chariot!" Hannah's infections laughter evokes smiles in the whole Colfer family, and Chris' heart can't help but soar at the sight galloping in front of him.

Darren leads them through an employee exit, and they reach the car in record time. No one says much, either because they are engrossed in their own thoughts or, in Hannah's case, asleep. At the rental car, Tim pulls Hannah off of Darren with a chuckle and sets her in the car. Karyn hugs Darren and thanks him profusely for his generosity which makes Darren blush and toe the ground with his shoe. Chris swears his almost says, "Aw shucks" at least twice.

Tim is a bit gruffer than his wife, and he offers Darren his thanks with a handshake. "If you're ever around again, feel free to join us."

"Thank you, sir! Have a safe trip back," Darren says kindly. Tim nods in thanks, then retreats to the car with his wife, leaving Chris and Darren alone

The silence should be awkward, Chris thinks, but it isn't. Darren seems contemplative, and Chris is content to watch him as a little smile makes its way onto his lips.

Finally, Darren turns to face him. "Did you have fun tonight?"

Chris tries not to feel like an asshole; he hasn't even thanked Darren properly yet! "Yes! Darren, I – yes! It was one of the most magical nights of my life. Other than the time my dad gave me a Hogwarts letter for my eleventh birthday, but that was a fake so it doesn't count."

"Ha!" Darren snorts. "I can't decide if that's really awesome or completely cruel."

"Me neither," Chris agrees with a laugh. "But seriously, you really made tonight special for everyone," _Me. Especially for me. _"Thank you."

Darren seems to understand the depth of the thank you, so he steps forward and runs a hand soothingly from Chris shoulder down to his hand. He squeezes it briefly. "Anytime. Really."

They part, and Chris takes a step towards the car. "Will I get to see you again?" He asks hesitantly, feeling slightly foolish.

"Do you want to see me again?" Darren asks, obviously enjoying this way too much.

"Yes," Chris says immediately. He blushes at his enthusiasm.

Darren chuckles and begins walking backwards with a slight bow of his head. "As you wish."

Feeling slightly ridiculous because of the grin on his face, Chris reluctantly gets into the car with one last wave towards his prince. Tim backs out of the parking spot and drives away, leaving Darren as a silhouette in the distance.


	6. Thursday, July 13th

**Hi guys! Thank you so much to everyone that has given me feedback on this story. I absolutely adore writing it, and it is so wonderful to know that some people enjoy reading it as well. :) Please keep reviewing! They give me motivation. I'm also on Tumblr and It-Could-Happen, just in case it gets taken down here. Same username. Love you all!**

**Warning for a little bit of poorly written smut! I need to take a smut writing class...or something. Ugh.**

**_Thursday, July 13_****_th_******

_….Chris groans as he's pressed deeper into the bed by the man above him. They're touching from chest to toe; bare skin rubbing deliciously against bare skin as their hips grind together._

_"Oh, Chris…you feel so good," the man gasps at a particularly hard drag of his cock against Chris'. The ability to form coherent sentences had long left Chris, so he releases a pleased whine in response to the praise. "Chris – I can't," he pants, "I'm gonna –"_

_Chris feels his orgasm building quickly, like fire spreading from his core to the rest of his body, and he knows he won't last much longer with this gorgeous, sexy man on top of him. _

_"Ngh…CHRIS!" He shouts desperately, spilling all over Chris' cock, stomach and chest. _

_Chris looses it a moment later, and he lets go with his lover's name on his lips. _

_"DARREN!"_

Chris wakes with a start, fully hard and sweating underneath the hot hotel sheets. He doesn't remember making his bed last night – his mom must have gotten everything together for him since he had fallen asleep in the car – but he's on the condo pull-out couch as usual. Thankful that Karyn hadn't decided to put him Hannah's room last night, Chris throws off the sheets and walks to the bathroom to take care of his _pressing _issue.

Once under the warm spray of shower water, he allows himself to think about the dream and all of its implications.

There is no way that a guy like Darren would fall for a guy like Chris. In his mind, Chris is a dork; a boy that watches too many movies, reads too many books, knows way too many facts about European history and expects to make a living by writing fictional stories. Does Darren really _like_ Chris, or is he just naturally an overly-kind, flirty person?

Obviously, Chris is attracted to Darren. He'd known that since the beginning. What he _hadn't_ known was that he wanted Darren to pin him to the bed and get him off with the hard, demanding grind of his cock over his own.

"Fuck," Chris breathes lightly, both at the incredibly_ hot_ image in his mind and the difficulties that are sure to arise from the situation. Darren is…his friend. An amazing guy he met just a few days ago that is nice and funny and talented and –

That lives in Florida.

_They're always either straight, taken or live across the country_, Chris concludes bitterly. _I need to buy a cat._

After Chris takes care of his problem (he had tried _so damn hard_ not to think about Darren while doing it, but after that dream Chris really didn't think he had a choice), he decides to just wash his hair and get ready for the day. He immerges from the bathroom to find that everyone in his family is still asleep. A quick peek at the clock on the microwave tells him that it's nearly 10:00am, but Chris has no idea what the plan is for today because his mom had been handling the schedule alone. He briefly contemplates running around the house banging pots and pans to wake them up, but eventually settles for cleaning up his bed and making a bagel instead.

_I'll probably piss them off on accident sometime soon; I should probably avoid doing it on purpose, _he reasons.

Once comfortable on the couch, Chris flips through the channels on the television until his finds the cartoon version of _Robin Hood_, and then checks his phone. A smile breaks out across Chris' face at the single text message he has.

**Darren Criss: Goodnight, Prince Christopher! I had a wonderful evening. I'm sure you're exhausted, so text me when you wake up. Sweet dreams. :)**

Chris blushes bright scarlet. _Sweet dreams indeed._

**Chris: I'd have to agree; last night was amazing. Thank you again!**

**Oh, yeah - good morning. :)**

Not wanting to be _that guy _waiting around by the phone for a text (he's also pretty sure Darren will be working by now), Chris grabs his laptop from his backpack and opens up the Word document for his book. Being in the happiest place on earth is definitely doing wonders for his imagination; he practically has another novel written in the notes on his phone.

Chris is able to write two full pages about the Charming Kingdom before he gets a response from his very own prince.

**Darren Criss: Ah it's an even better morning now! Hiya. :) What's on the Colfer Clan Schedule for today? **

**Chris: I have no idea; the Clan is still sleeping.**

**Darren Criss: You're up alone at 11:00am?**

**Chris: No, Prince Charming is here with me. **

**Darren: That bastard! He can never keep it in his pants. I told Cinderella he was as gay as Gaston, but did she listen? Noooooo.**

Chris has to cover his mouth to stifle the giggles that erupt from his chest.

**Chris: Poor girl must have been in denial. **

**Darren Criss: Am I being replaced? **

**Chris: Well I've always wanted a glass slipper…**

**Darren Criss: Chris!**

**Chris: But I guess a rambunctious monkey will do. **

**Darren Criss: Phew! **

**Chris: Abu can stay as well.**

**Darren Criss: Now I feel insulted.**

**Chris: ;)**

Engrossed in their easy banter, Chris fails to notice when his mom walks into the kitchen to retrieve coffee for her and Tim. Karyn watches Chris with a knowing smirk on her face, but doesn't wish to embarrass him, so she purposefully drops a mug on the counter. Chris jumps.

"Mom! I didn't see you walk in."

"Good morning to you too sweetie," she replies with a hint of mom-sass. "Important conversation?"

"Just Darren," he mutters with an adorable blush.

Karyn raises an eyebrow. "Just Darren? You mean the same 'just Darren' that took us to the top of a building to watch Illuminations last night? The same 'just Darren' that has been texting you non-stop for the past two days? The same-"

"Alright, Mom, I get it, thank you," Chris cuts her off. _Jeez. _

She chuckles lightly, and resumes making coffee. "I'm just saying: Darren is a wonderful guy. Don't be oblivious."

"Psh," Chris scoffs as walks into the kitchen to grab a Diet Coke, "_I _am _not _oblivious." He opens the Coke and takes a sip. She stares at him the whole time. "What?"

With a small sigh, Karyn smiles. "Nothing, dear."

Hannah and Tim soon join the other two members of their family in the small kitchen, and they begin to discuss the day's plans. Karyn had scheduled Typhoon Lagoon, one of the two Disney water parks, for the afternoon. They are to leave within an hour.

Chris is excited by the prospect of a Disney water park, but he can't help being a little disappointed that he won't get to see Darren. The man's presence was intoxicating, and Chris found himself becoming addicted to his smile, his laugh, his eyes…everything. It will be difficult to wait until Magic Kingdom, if even then, to see him again.

While his family showers and gets dressed, Chris changes into his bathing suit, shuts down his computer, and waits at the dining room table. He uses the extra time to read Darren's last reply.

**Darren Criss: You know, they actually were going to cast me as Tarzan first. **

**Darren Criss: Shit.**

**Darren Criss: I shouldn't have said that…I should not have said that. **

_Please God don't let him be quoting Harry Potter. Then he really would be perfect, and I don't think I can handle that. _

Of course, Chris knows that Darren did, in fact, quote Harry Potter and that he is, in fact, as damn close to perfect as humanly possible, but that isn't going to stop him from using this new information to his advantage. That would be blasphemous.

**Chris: Curious…very curious. **

**Me Chris. You Darren. **

**You work at World of Disney.**

**Me on va-ca-tion. **

Chris gives himself a mental round of applause; he feels very clever.

**Darren Criss: Ha ha ha. You're fucking hilarious, Christopher. **

**Chris: Thanks, I'm glad you agree!**

**Darren Criss: Oo oo ah ah ee.**

**Chris: Do I even want to know what that means?**

**Darren Criss: It's monkey for, "you looked stunning in the light of the fireworks last night."**

Caught completely off guard by the compliment, Chris finds himself speechless, and blushing like a tomato. Chris knows that he's attractive, but never before had a guy said something so kind to him, and with so little inhibition. Sure, it was dorky and delivered in an admittedly strange way, but what Darren said was so sweet that Chris can't help but wonder if maybe his mom was right. Maybe he was being oblivious.

Before he can thank Darren for the monkey-tongue compliment (and thank God - Chris has no idea what he would have said), he gets another message.

**Darren Criss: So, did the rest of the Clan ever rise or did they get pricked on a pinwheel?**

With an eye roll, Chris answers.

**Chris: It was a spindle, and yep, they're awake now. We're going to Typhoon Lagoon.**

**Darren Criss: My apologies, keeper of fairytale facts. :) That didn't sound very enthusiastic. **

Should he tell him? Chris never did get the chance to thank Darren for the compliment, and he didn't want Darren to think he was playing _too _hard to get so…why the hell not?

**Chris: Don't get me wrong, I'm excited; I was just kind of hoping to go to Magic Kingdom today. **

**Darren Criss: Well I'm sure glad you aren't.**

Chris' heart plummets. _I knew it was too good to be true. _

**Darren Criss: I'm off for two days - I'd hate to know you were there without me!**

_That cocky, adorable, son of a bitch, _Chris thinks, and can't help but smile. He is starting to believe that Darren genuinely wants to see him again.

**Chris: You, Prince A-Boo-Boo, are an asshole.**

**Darren Criss: ;)**

**Chris: :)**

"Chris, let's go!" Chris looks up to see his family waiting for him the doorway yet again. His mom raises a single eyebrow in question, to which Chris just smiles. He may not get to see Darren today, but things sure seem to be heading in the right direction for Chris, and he can't wait to see what happens next on his Disney adventure.

After a long, hot day in the Florida sun, the Colfers return to the condo looking like red peppers and smelling like chlorine. They had a blast at the water park; the abundance of rides and activities had kept them busy all day, but now they are exhausted and ready for bed.

Tim says: "I think we should deem tomorrow an indoor day."

"We could definitely use the day to get our skin back to normal," Karyn adds with a nod of agreement.

"I'm sleepy," Hannah chimes in while rubbing her eyes.

Chris sympathizes with them, he really does, but Karyn had told them that tomorrow was going to be a Hollywood Studios day and he really didn't want to miss out on the park. "But guys," he almost whines, "we can't stay home! Disney World is _literally _around the corner!"

"You'll survive a day, bud," his dad says firmly, but with kindness. "Then we'll hit the parks again on Saturday."

Knowing he really doesn't have a say in the matter, Chris kisses his mom, dad and sister goodnight, changes his clothes, and gets into the couch bed with a heavy heart. _It's just a little sun…_he argues to himself. _This is not a valid reason to miss our only full day of Hollywood Studios. _

Chris sighs, and pulls out his phone.

**Chris: I'm pretty sure there is a rule about not being sad while vacationing at Disney World and I'm definitely breaking it.**

He doesn't have to wait long for Darren's answer; they had been texting back and forth as often as possible throughout the day. Through their conversations, Chris learned that the two men have a great deal in common, but also many differences. It was refreshing to talk to someone that seemed to really enjoying topics ranging from fantasy to modern politics. Darren was a brilliant conversationalist, even over text.

**Darren Criss: Uh oh, that doesn't sound too good. What's up?**

**Chris: We're skipping Hollywood Studios…family wants to take a recovery day tomorrow. **

Chris is completely surprised when his phone starts to ring with an incoming call. He clears his throat and answers nervously.

"H-hello?"

"YOU CAN'T SKIP HOLLYWOOD!" Darren screams so loud that Chris holds the phone away from his ear with a cringe.

"Darren – Dare, keep it down," Chris laughs quietly. He isn't exactly keen on disturbing his parents and Hannah at the moment.

"Keep it down!? Fuck that man; I can't let you miss Hollywood Studios."

Chris sighs for the umpteenth time that night, and adjusts himself to a more comfortable position. "I don't think I have a choice, Darren. It's not like I can go by myself."

Darren doesn't miss a beat. "Let me take you."

"What?" There is no way he heard that right.

"Let me take you," the actor repeats, his voice persistent. "Your family can stay home and relax, I get to see you and you'll get to see Hollywood Studios. It's a win-win-win situation!"

Chris' mind is reeling. The idea of spending the day with Darren at Hollywood Studios is a dream come true. "Darren…" he starts, "I can't ask you to do that."

"You aren't!" Darren insists. "_I'm _asking _you._"

The younger man thinks it over briefly, biting his bottom lip in concentration. "Hold on," he finally decides, and drops his phone onto the couch as he stands.

_The worse they can say is no, _Chris reminds himself. He knocks on his parents' door.

Tim answers with bleary eyes. "What's up Chris? Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Chris assures him. "May I talk to you and mom?"

"Sure, c'mon in." The two men walk into the room where Karyn is already in bed watching TV. She smiles when she sees her son, and he returns the gesture nervously. "Well, what do you need to talk about?" Tim asks once he's situated again.

"Uh…" Chris realizes that he should have planned. He should have written out a formal request and submitted it under the door like he did when he was little. He should have given some _thought_ to this instead of letting Darren's infectious excitement get him.

_Too late to go back now._

"IwanttogotoHollywoodStudioswithDarrentomorrow."

Well, that was a start.

Karyn laughs. "Chris, we don't speak gibberish."

Toeing the ground softly, Chris clears his throat and tries again. "I want to go to Hollywood Studios with Darren tomorrow. He just called and offered because you guys want to take the day to relax."

Tim and Karyn dot that awful _parent thing _where they look at each other and decide their child's fate in a few short glances. After what seems to be the longest minute in Chris' life, Karyn shrugs and looks back at him.

"Sure," she says simply.

"Sure?" Chris repeats.

"Yes," Tim clarifies.

"Yes?"

"Chris!" Karyn laughs. "You may go with Darren to Hollywood Studios tomorrow. Text us the details in the morning."

Stunned to silence, Chris' mouth opens and closes a few times before he can actually form coherent sentences. "Thank you," he finally says breathlessly. "Thank you very much!"

"No problem kid, you're a grown up now," Tim says fatherly. "We're glad you asked us anyway, though."

"Sure, of course," Chris hastens. He would have never accepted Darren's offer without consulting his parents on their vacation. That would have been disrespectful.

"Now get some sleep, go say yes to your prince," Karyn orders teasingly. Chris blushes a little, but leaves the room with a grateful, "Love you guys."

Once the master bedroom door is closed, Chris squeals (once again, a very manly squeal) and fist pumps the air. He skips to the couch, a huge smile on his face as he picks up the phone.

"Darren?"

"Goddamn that was the longest three minutes of my life," Darren exhales on the end of the line. "What'd they say?"

"They said yes!" Chris figures acting nonchalant is overrated; he's fucking pumped.

"YES!" Apparently, so is Darren. "That's totally awesome man, I'm so excited!"

"Me too," Chris agrees breathlessly. He can hardly comprehend what's going on and his body feels a thousand degrees too hot, but Chris hasn't been this happy in a long time.

"How about I pick you up in the morning, say, 8:15? We can grab breakfast first, if you want to. I don't want to assume you want to, you can make your own choices, but I know a lot of people enjoy consuming breakfast foods so I thought –"

He's rambling, and Chris thinks that it's possibly the most adorable thing in the world. "Dare!" Chris laughs, effectively shutting him up. "Breakfast sounds wonderful."

"Oh," Darren says, pleased. "Ok. It's a date?"

Chris smiles, his heart soaring above the bright Florida stars. "It's a date."


End file.
